Case Number 00239

STRANGE DAYS

The Charge

Opening Statement

Strange Days is a mesmerizing cult sci-fi/mystery film. It presents a
murder mystery in a perverted, twisted view of the eve of the millennium.

The Evidence

Strange Days made its theatrical debut in 1995. It told the story of
events taking place in Los Angeles just five years away, just before the
calendars rolled over all four digits. The world it presents isn't all that
different than the one we are living in as I write this. Only the core
technology -- the "SQUID" receptors and the ability to view the
recorded output of another person's cerebral cortex -- is all that far-fetched.
(Even then, university researchers have been able to perform similar feats with
cats.) I have not heard of the National Guard mobilizing in Los Angeles, but who
knows what will happen.

A considerable amount of talent, both in front of and behind the cameras,
was utilized in making Strange Days. It was directed by Kathryn Bigelow,
who directed Point Break. It was written and produced by James Cameron,
the writer and director of famed movies such as Titanic, The
Abyss, and the Terminator series. I'm not the world's biggest Cameron
fan, but he is virtually unsurpassed at creating compelling stories with
interesting characters. Strange Days is no exception. Ralph Fiennes is
the marquee name among a fine cast. He has shown his substantial talent in fine
films such as Schindler's List, Quiz Show, and The English
Patient. Also starring are Juliette Lewis (Cape Fear, Natural Born
Killers), Angela Bassett (Boyz N the Hood, Contact, How
Stella Got Her Groove Back), and Tom Sizemore (True Romance,
Heat, Saving Private Ryan). In smaller roles are recognizable
character actors Michael Wincott (The Crow), Vincent D'Onofrio (Full
Metal Jacket), and William Fichtner (Armageddon).

The plot of Strange Days hinges upon the SQUID technology. It
consists of headgear and a recording/playback deck. The headgear picks up the
wearer's brainwaves and records them to a disc. The disc can then be played
back, and the viewer can see and hear what the recorder was doing. The
technology is demonstrated in the opening sequence. A would-be thief records as
he and two accomplices burst into a restaurant, take the money from the
register, and lock the restaurant staff in a freezer. Just as they are about to
make their getaway, the police arrive in force. The wearer and another robber
run up a flight of stairs to the roof, pursued all the way by the cops. When
they reach the roof, the other robber leaps to another building. The wearer
hesitates, but chooses to jump as the police close in. He doesn't make it and
plunges to his death...as it is recorded. This entire sequence is presented
without cuts.

That's just a demonstration of the SQUID device. The catalyst of Strange
Days' plot is the murder of a famous (and politically active) rapper at the
hands of two Los Angeles cops. Along for the ride was a call girl who happened
to be "wearing." She passes on the tape to Lenny Nero (Fiennes), an
ex-cop who now peddles black market "clips" (as the SQUID recordings
are called). However, she only places it in his car, which is promptly
repossessed. Lenny enlists the services of Mace (Bassett), an old friend who is
a bodyguard/limo driver. Gradually they uncover a plot involving Lenny's
ex-girlfriend Faith (Lewis), her current boyfriend Philo (Wincott), and Max
(Sizemore), Lenny's best friend who is now a detective in the employ of Philo.
The story climaxes on New Year's Eve 1999. As crowds gather in the streets to
celebrate, Lenny and Mace must protect themselves both from the rogue cops and
the menacing parties involved in the cover-up. I'm reluctant to give much more
away, but I'll give this clue...what happened to Sizemore's characters in each
of the three movies that I mentioned previously?

Strange Days is presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, but it
is a non-anamorphic transfer. Despite that quibble, the picture is flawless.
Many scenes in the movie contain elements that can cause problems on DVD
transfers. For example, take the closing party scenes. Multi-colored strobe
lights are strobing, confetti and balloons are flying, and gigantic TV screens
are flashing bright Y2K messages. I noticed absolutely no bleeding or pixelation
or digital artifacts. The audio is equally sparkling...if only I had the system
to judge it adequately (Santa was kind to me this year, but not THAT kind).

Extras-wise, the disc falters a bit. There is not a commentary track per se.
Instead, there is a very low-fi recording (presumably at a university) of
Kathryn Bigelow describing the work that went into filming the opening sequence.
It begins after the sequence is over, and runs for about 50 minutes while the
movie continues to run. Her comments are interesting and informative, but it's
hard to keep track of what she is talking about because the one scene she is
discussing is long over. Also included are two theatrical trailers and two
deleted scenes. The excised scenes are bookended by the parts of movie around
them -- a nice touch. The menus are movie-themed, and are nicely animated and
sound-articulated.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

I love the movie, it looks and sounds beautiful, and the extras complement
the movie. The only quibbles I have are with Fox's use of the Alpha keep case
and Cameron's reluctance to allow anamorphic transfers.

Closing Statement

Bigelow and Cameron have crafted an extraordinary cult film. As we enter the
new millennium, it is also rather timely. The judge recommends that you watch it
at your first available opportunity.

The Verdict

Case dismissed, and the prosecutor is sternly reprimanded for bringing this
fine movie before the court.